This invention relates to a rack device with longitudinal rack segments joined to each other and bridging the tray joints between sections of a face conveyor, and more particularly to such a rack device wherein the rack portions of the rack segments each has a length corresponding to one-half the length of a tray section for the face conveyor to provide guiding and driving engagement with a drum-cutter mining machine, particularly such a machine having a low overall height for underground mining operations.
As is known in the art, rack pins are provided in racks which are mounted onto the side wall of a face conveyor or onto the side bracket wall. Such racks are used for guiding and advancing a getting machine, more particularly, a drum-cutter mining machine. Such a mining machine engages the rack by means of at least one driving wheel or by means of at least one endless driving chain. The racks of known designs are divided into individual rack segments which bridge the joints between conveyor tray sections or side bracket sections. The length of the rack segments is usually preferably constructed to correspond to one-half the length of the conveyor tray section or a side bracket section. The two ends of the rack segments are joined to the conveyor tray sections or to sections of the side bracket for pivotal movement about horizontal axes. A rack arrangement of this sort is shown in West German Pat. No. 2,520,754.
In U.S. application Ser. No. 882,304, filed Feb. 27, 1978 and assigned to the same Assignee as this invention, there is disclosed a rack for a getting machine, and more particularly a drum-cutter mining machine used for underground mining operations. The rack is made up of rack segments which are joined to each other and mounted onto conveyor tray sections or attached to the side brackets in a manner so that the rack segments are supported and guided for limited longitudinal slidability.